How to Know if Your Therapist is Competent or Not?

I started seeing a therapist to work on some personal issues that I have, and to learn more about myself, and I've had 3 sessions so far. I don't know if she's good though. I've brought up some things which I think were traumatic for me (childhood things) on session 1, but she has not brought it up yet. She's offered some relaxation, focus and breathing exercise, but I feel like she just listens and gives scant advice. I don't know if I should continue or if I should find someone else. I don't know if my problems are just minor, or if she just isn't good at all.

To those who have had experiences with a therapist, how do you know if they're competent/good or not?

In my experience good therapists are hard to find. Regarding your case, my best friend is a (non-practicing) psycologist and she tells me that sometimes traumatic events are not meant to come to the surface right away. That our brain is used to burying them to deal with them and perhaps it is not ready for airing them just yet.

I suggest to give it a couple more sessions.

I am a firm believer in hypnosis, so to me a good therapist has to be a good hypnotist. But then, that is just me.

sbux,

If you consistently leave your session feeling like nothing has happened or been accomplished, that's a good sign you are involved with the wrong therapist for you. If you leave feeling warm and fuzzy, but not feeling anything else, that's another sign of the wrong therapist. If your therapy only deals with the superficial problems, the problems on the surface, then you are seeing the wrong therapist.

However, not everybody is capable of opening up and discussing their feelings in one or two sessions. You have to give your therapy time to develop a rapport between you and your therapist. If that rapport has not developed within a month, then your therapist is likely the wrong therapist for you.

You should feel comfortable with your therapist, have confidence in them, feel safe with them, and like them.

The right therapist will ask questions intended to make you search within yourself for the answers, and then help you to listen to yourself. The answers will not be yes or no type answers, or short answers; your answers should be long explanations. The right therapist does very little talking, you shall do most of the talking. The right therapist creates an environment where you feel safe talking about these issues that have been lurking deep inside of you. Your therapy will eventually lead to discussions about your childhood, the environment you grew up in, and your parents. You should leave most sessions with a feeling of discovery, like you've learned new things about yourself, or feeling like you've acquired new skills in handling your problems.

take care, George

Here's a picture of my therapist's waiting room

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg48/compics/PaperBagAudience.jpg